Women across the country live in fear of men. Our patriarchal society keeps men in dominant positions of power while subordinating women. For many ages, the existence of women has always been perceived as being solely for men, to serve men, and cater to their needs. Our society expects women to shrink themselves and be modest according to patriarchal standards, that is, in everything they do, they have to keep it in mind that they cannot be superior to men.
This socialization takes power from women and leads to men viewing women as less than human thus objectifying them and subjecting them to all kinds of violent acts. Gender-based violence is enabled by a culture of men violating women in all sorts of ways from subtle, micro-aggressions such as cat-calling, groping, slut-shaming, rape jokes which eventually build-up to the most unspeakable, gruesome violent acts of rape and murder. South Africa has one of the highest rates of gender-based violence which explains the deeply ingrained culture of violence inflicted on women. Women’s existence is at the mercy of the power men hold, afforded by our patriarchal society. Needless to say, it is not all men who inflict violence on women, however, all men benefit from this power hegemonic masculinity holds over women.
All men benefit from this systemic violence that keeps women in a subordinate position. Women are always cautioned against walking outside alone at night. Women are always cautioned against wearing ‘revealing’ clothes, they might be asking for it. Women have to give out their contact numbers to avoid being killed. Women have to be ‘nice’ and force a smile and endure unwanted attention to avoid violent altercations. Who are women cautioned against? Men. Of course, not all men. But as women, we do know there are certain ways we need to act around men to avoid being violated. Therefore all men are perpetrators of gender-based violence until proven otherwise and the onus is on them to dismantle and de-normalize gender-based violence.
Our society as a whole has a lot to unlearn about different identities, social roles, and expectations we place on men and women, especially when they oppress certain groups of individuals. Men, however, play a larger role in gender-based violence and thus have a collective responsibility to stop this plague which is claiming the lives of women. Men need to stop objectifying women. They have to perceive women as humans who deserve to live in a world where they feel safe. Men need to respect women as much as they respect their male friends. They need to unlearn the ‘socially acceptable’ inferiority of women and learn that women do not exist merely to serve them. Women are also humans with goals and ambitions and they deserve to live long enough to see their dreams come to fruition. Their lives are not supposed to be cut short by men who think have ownership over women’s bodies, nor tainted with traumatic experiences of their bodies being violated.
Women’s bodies belong to them and them only – men need to relearn this and respect women’s autonomy. Men need to have honest conversations among themselves and acknowledge that so far, their manhood and masculinity exists against the backdrop of violated womanhood and femininity and denied the humanity of women. Men need to deconstruct harmful notions of manhood and redefine manhood and masculinity without subordinating women. Men should not take power from women. They should not silence women. They should leave women alone.
About Post Author
You may also like
-
5th Runner-up Winner of CR Writing Competition 2020 | How can governments and the public intervene and halt this ongoing femicide? by Bonolo Moye
-
1st Position Winner of CR Writing Competition 2020| How can governments and the public intervene and halt this ongoing femicide? by Atlegang Makokoe
-
4th Runner-Up of CR Writing Competition 2020| The onus of society, particularly men in dismantling and de-normalizing gender-based violence by Bassie Moima
-
2nd Runner-Up of CR Writing Competition 2020| The onus of society, particularly men in dismantling and de-normalizing gender-based violence by Nomfundo Sithole
Like!! Really appreciate you sharing this blog post.Really thank you! Keep writing.
Thank you ever so for you article post.
These are actually great ideas in concerning blogging.
I like this website very much, Its a very nice office to read and incur information.
Your site is very helpful. Many thanks for sharing!
I just want to say I am just very new to blogging and truly savored your blog site. More than likely I’m going to bookmark your blog post . You really have fabulous stories. Thanks a bunch for sharing with us your webpage.
I’m not sure how lucky I am to see such an awesome articlerelated to 토토사이트. Do you upload a lot of good 먹튀검증 like this?? I’m looking for a lot of 꽁머니 and 스포츠중계 related materials. I will come back often to read good articles related to 안전놀이터 Please continue to upload various articles related to 먹튀검증.And if you have time, please come to my site.I have a lot of data like 꽁머니.The site name is 안전놀이터.
This is the item I was looking for. I finally found 토토사이트. Please upload a lot of good안전놀이터 in the future. Thank you for먹튀검증
Right here is the right blog for everyone who wants to understand this topic. Dallas Mohammed Zollie
Only wanna input on few general things, The website layout is perfect, the articles is real fantastic : D. Jenine Gilburt Ceporah
Having read this I believed it was very informative. I appreciate you taking the time and energy to put this content together. Lucita Carver Davon
Great article! We will be linking to this particularly great content on our site. Keep up the great writing. Valentia Silas Zielsdorf
Thiss iis very attention-grabbing, You are a very professional blogger. Nadean Jamil Jana
Hi to all, how is all, I think every one is getting more from this web site, and your views are nice in favor of new people. Catlin North Purvis
Well I truly enjoyed reading it. This information offered by you is very useful for good planning. Joline Osbourne Yamauchi
Suicide of every young person is always not easy to understand. Goldi Davidson Alta
Im thankful for the article. Really looking forward to read more. Really Great. Tina Waverly Bosch
Hello. This article was extremely interesting, particularly since I was investigating for thoughts on this issue last couple of days. Hulda Kennith Marys
Well I sincerely enjoyed studying it. This article provided by you is very helpful for proper planning. Devondra Esme Prevot
Some really great info , Gladiolus I detected this. Hanni Royce Anna-Diana
Marvelous, what a website it is! This weblog presents useful facts to us, keep it up. Meggi Duky Stutzman
Hello, just wanted to mention, I liked this blog post. Bobbe Freddy Leonhard
Sweet site, super layout, real clean and apply genial. Dorree Ariel Nichols
Unquestionably imagine that that you said. Your favorite justification seemed to be at the web the simplest factor to bear in mind of. Ethel Orion Lindeberg
Pozdrawiam jestem Vix i nie dodawajcie OTClienta pozdrawiam. Cristi Schuyler Moguel
There is noticeably a bundle to find out about this. I assume you made sure good factors in features also. Sherilyn Rodolfo Cristian
Hello, its fastidious post regarding media print, we all know media is a impressive source of facts. Desiri Elijah Glyn